Thrive in Catastrophe by 焦糖冬瓜

Chapter 18 Brothers

"Don't you know Jane Wallis?" said Maya with an astonished expression. He then used the chin to indicate Hein's direction. "So had you heard of Colonel Burton?"

"How could I not have heard of the famous Heine Burton." Xiao retorted.

He looked over at Heine, but he just leaned back and closed his eyes. He didn't seem to care if Xiao had heard of him before or not. He isn't the type of person to care what anyone thinks of him.

Xiao Yan felt the tension in his whole body release. "Liv, is our task over?"

"Yeah." Liv nodded.

"Ah... I can sleep then. I am so exhausted."

"Then go to sleep." Liv rubbed Xiao Yan's head.

The minute he closed his eyes, he fell into a dream. Today's mission had been long and arduous.

He doesn't want to think about anything. He just wants everything to stop for a minute.

As the aircraft prepares to land at the base, Liv reaches over to rouse Xiao Yan.

Heine's voice stilled her hand.

"Let him sleep."

_____

A liaison officer from the base delivered a report to Colonel Raven.

"Colonel Burton's craft has been circling the base for over an hour."

"What? The other two craft have already landed." Colonel Raven began to get nervous. "Have you been in touch with Colonel Burton?"

"We have, he said everything was fine."

Colonel Raven touched his forehead in confusion "Is this normal?"

The craft finally landed at the platform and Xiao Yan was shaken awake by Mark, "Wake up rookie, you're drooling. Its gross."

"Ah?" What the? Xiao woke up and reached his hand to his mouth. Mark laughed and Liv punched him, "idiot."

As Heine stepped from the craft, Colonel Raven greeted him with a cold expression. "What were you doing? I thought you had been hijacked by a blocker."

Seeing the men exit the cabin, Colonel Raven furrowed his brow. Manson was nowhere to be found. His expression bewildered, he asked, "where is General Manson?"

"You want to salute the General?" Maya's mouth curled in a mocking smile.

"What does that mean? Where is he?" As Colonel Raven addressed his question to Maya, only then did he noticed his wounded state. His face froze and he opened his mouth to speak, then turned to look at Xiao Yan with questioning eyes.

Xiao Yan quietly looked at the canister that Heine carried.

Heine walked over to the Colonel, pushing the container into his arms he strode off.

"Ah...what is this?

"It is General Manson."

Liv winked at Lieutenant Colonel Raven.

Only Xiao and Colonel Raven were left staring at each other.

By the end of the day, news of Manson's betrayal had spread to the Shire.

His brain was sent to the torture specialists.

____________

The base held a send off for Maya at the mess hall. Maya sat at the table and enjoyed Liv and Mark spoon feeding him. A report of his injuries had already been sent off to the Shire and tomorrow he will fly back and receive his prosthetic limbs. The prosthesis allows for complete flexibility and rotation, it will link directly to the severed nerves and the commands can be routed directly to the brain, as though it were his natural limb. The only difference is the prosthesis cannot regenerate as the rest of his body does. With the special forces, as long as the limb is not detached the wound will heal completely. If the artificial limb is attacked, the resulting nerve interruption can be fatal on the battlefield.

Maya was promoted to major and, upon return to the Shire, will enter the Strategic Warfare unit of the Special Forces. There he will serve as a guard for the Special Task Force Commander, Major General Gordon.

"You got a promotion too, you will be living a luxurious life at the Shire."

Mark shoved the food roughly at Maya's face, deliberately spreading it around his mouth. "Ah, Don't get it in my hair!" Maya knocked Mark's hand away as Liv grabbed a cup of red wine and poured it into Maya's mouth.

"Hey what is the first thing you plan on doing after you get your prosthetic limbs?"

"Of course, I'll start a deep hair treatment."

As Maya voiced his priorities, everyone laughed.

Maya spotted Xiao Yan and waved him over. Xiao sat beside him, "hey brother, everyone is fighting over who gets to take care of me. What are you going to do for me?."

"I can help you with your steak, or the wine." Maya waved him off. "Liv and Mark can take care of such menial tasks, I've left the most important task to you."

"What?"

"You can comb my hair, all that zombie pus and blood matted it all up."

Maya took a comb from his pocket and handed it Xiao. Xiao laughed until tears welled up. "Of course, I'll comb your hair."

Maya winked at the others and they grabbed their drinks and left the table.

Xiao Yan gently separated Maya's hair and very carefully pulled the comb through. "It's the first time that you have called me brother, I'm not used to it."

"Ah, do you prefer the endearments. 'Honey' and' dear'...alas it is now impossible for me to take you to my bed." Maya looked at him with a very solemn expression.

"Why?"

"I have principles on who I share my bed with. I don't intermix with my comrades, nor do I bed friends."

"So am I a comrade or a friend?" Xiao lightly tugged at Maya's hair.

"Ah how unlucky I am, now you are both!" Maya pushed a glass of beer at Xiao. "So brother, here, have a drink with me." Xiao heart was overwhelmed.

"I t would be my pleasure. When you get back to the Shire, I should introduce you to my friend Casey."

"Casey? Who is Casey?"

"Casey is a researcher at the Central Academy of Sciences. You guys will get along. He was my only friend, before I met you. His personality can be a bit much, but he is very cute. If you have the ability, you can try to lure him to bed."

"Aw, a researcher...forget it. Brainiacs are typically not my type. Not everyone is as cute as you."

It was the first time Xiao Yan had drank so heartily. His arm slung around Maya's shoulder, the two talked excitedly. Xiao even tells Maya about his dream girl Lily, which causes Maya to dissolve into hysterical laughter.

"You think you can snag such a woman? Would such a beautiful woman be interested in you?"

"So what kind of man do you think she would like? Someone like Colonel Burton?"